Doctor Who_ The Algebra of Ice - Lloyd Rose [85]
‘It’s not very melodic,’ he cautioned. ‘It’s definitely, erm, postmodern.’
‘You mean it just sounds like noise?’
‘Careful. That’s what your grandparents said about rock and roll.’
‘Play!’ she ordered.
Ethan played. He concentrated on the keys so as not to see her reaction, which he presumed would be of the ‘tick’ variety. But when he finally snuck a glance at her, she looked startled. He slowed down, almost stopped. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘It’s. . . Keep playing.’ There was a knock on the door, and the Doctor peeked in. ‘Professor, listen!’ The Doctor came in, smiling expectantly. ‘It sounds like your tune! That naff tune you’ve been humming for weeks.’
Ethan wasn’t following this. He turned and saw that the Doctor had stopped, his face almost as white as his suit.
‘What is that?’ he whispered.
‘It’s just an experiment of mine,’ Ethan said, puzzled, ‘turning the vibration-value of certain primes into music.’ The Doctor came a few faltering steps into the room, then stopped; he appeared stunned with confusion. Ace stood up.
‘Professor, what is it? Are you all right?’
‘Someone. . . ’ The Doctor’s voice was so hoarse he stopped and swallowed.
He licked his dry lips. ‘Someone is trying to hack the TARDIS.’
The Doctor bent over a screen and swore in a language Ethan had never heard.
He tapped some keys, swore again. He’d plucked Ethan out of the music room Chapter Twenty
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and hurried him to yet another collection of computers, then abandoned him, bounding frenziedly from computer to computer, cursing at each of them. At least, Ethan assumed he was cursing. It certainly sounded that way.
‘Well,’ the Doctor took control of himself, ‘it could be worse. They’ve only breached the first firewall.’ He exhaled deeply. ‘If they tap into the power of the TARDIS, nothing can stop them. They won’t need a bridge of equations.
They won’t need a weak spot in the cosmic fence. They’ll push right through and take everything they want. Which is everything.’
‘I’m not following this. You’ve been humming that piece I played for Ace?’
‘Not that piece specifically, but near enough. A piece composed of the music of primes. The primes that make up Unwin’s second set of equations – the hacking code for the TARDIS.’
‘You heard the equations?’
‘The TARDIS and I have a telepathic link of sorts. I don’t have time to go into it now.’
‘How in God’s name could they get into the TARDIS at all?’
‘The simplest answer for you is, an extraordinarily sophisticated form of wire-less connection – the way the TARDIS stays in contact with the data base on Gallifrey. Certain waves can travel between universes where matter can’t.’
‘Is there anything I can do to help?’
‘You almost helped them,’ the Doctor said sharply. ‘Unwin had worked out the first part of the hacking program that got the worm through the initial barriers. You were to bring the worm all the way in.’
‘That was the code he wanted me to work on.’
‘Yes. He really is brilliant, I have to hand him that. That he got as far as he did is remarkable. But he was finally stumped. That’s where you came in. You say you saw the program?’
‘Yes. I have to say, it looked like something that could be deciphered, given time. But Unwin couldn’t work it out.’
‘No. Only you could.’ The Doctor’s eyes were on one of the computers.
‘Probably you’re the only person on Earth who can.’
‘I doubt that. I’m sure the Chinese have someone, probably others as well.
Only Brett and Unwin wouldn’t be able to find them, so –’ Ethan stopped, staring at the Doctor, who nodded.
‘You’re the only one.’
The silence went on for a long time. The computers hummed. The Doctor stood perfectly still, as if he were something that had never moved, something inorganic.
176
The Algebra of Ice
‘You little monster,’ said Ethan. ‘You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?’
The Doctor cocked his head, his eyes bright and blank, like a bird’s. His face suddenly didn’t make any sense to Ethan – it was just a collection of human features pulled together to cover something that wasn’t